Cold
by charlycatz
Summary: At tragic accident leads to misery, heartbreak and a world turned dark for everyone. WARNING! Contains dark themes. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! So as some of you know I like Taiki, I really like Taiki. At the moment I've been writing some romance and I have decided to do a slightly different with this fic. This is inspired by the songs 'World So Cold' by 12 Stones, 'My Immortal' by Evanescence and 'Cold' by Aqualung.  
>This is for the Diversity Challenge 'Section F. No.38.' Enjoy!<br>DISCLAIMER – I DO NOT OWN DIGIMON OR ANY SONG LYRICS USED! THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS! (Cool songs though!) ;)  
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><p><strong>Akari's POV<strong>

About a week ago, I received bad news about an accident which sent my best friend into hospital. It isn't a simple sprain from basketball or him overexerting again but instead something even worse. My best friend who does his best for everyone and is always helps no matter how tough it may be somehow ends up in an alley way, beaten up, and tossed away like nothing. Out of all the people it could happen to it had to be him, Taiki.

Tonight I'm allowed to visit him in hospital however they've warned me that he's a mess, broken and crumbling down. However, I know that he'll pull through, or so I thought.

I stand outside the door to his room, listening to the silence that echo's along the once busy but now empty corridor. I take a deep breath in and open the door that separates us to find a dark, cold room with only the moonlight shining through the window.

Lying on the bed lit up by the moon is a weak, battered body covered with bandages and plasters; dried up blood staining the once white material. His eyes are open, staring out of the window to the dark sky outside; oxygen mask in his hand.

I approach him slowly, not wanting to startle him but he seems to sense my presence. He turns his head towards me and I look at him closely, staring at the once warm grey but now icy grey eyes. On his right cheek is a scar and above his eyebrow is a small cut, surrounded by dried up blood.

"Hi, Taiki." I say quietly, almost like a whisper, his reply is a small but forced smile which he then turns his head around and looks out of the window again.

"Hi." He replies with a soft whisper. I walk up to him and stand next to his bed, my hand inches away from his. I lean my arm out slowly and as my finger brushes against his hand he flinches and moves his hand away from me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" I try to say quickly as I back away but his cold stare stops me from speaking or moving.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. Everyone thinks I've gone insane, and I don't blame them." Taiki says, looking away from me as he speaks. "Even my mum says that she doesn't recognise me anymore." Taiki says and he looks out at the moon again.

"I don't think you've lost it." I reply, trying to make him feel better but that does the exact opposite of what I hoped for.

"Then you haven't seen the worst of me yet." Normally, I would cry at this point but now isn't the time to cry. No, now's the time to be there for him, even if I'm the only one standing next to him.

_It starts with pain followed by hate  
>Fuelled by the endless questions<br>No one can answer, a stain covers your heart  
>Tears you apart just like a sleeping cancer<em>

He murmurs, in a rhythmical beat. _Maybe it's a song?_ He starts to mime a tune which sounds good unlike him before. He couldn't sing even if it was to safe his own life. But at this moment, he actually sounds good, in tune as well.

_What kind of world do we live in  
>Where love is divided by hate<br>Losing control of our feelings  
>We all must be dreaming this life away<br>In a world so cold_

He sings quietly and it sounds just like a musician, singing a song that he wrote years ago. _When did he get so good?_ He turns to me and forces a smile on his face again.

"You should really go, before I turn you insane as well." He says and I nod and turn towards the door, hesitating for a moment.

"Then promise me that you'll stop forcing a smile on your face; it doesn't suit you." I say before opening the door and leaving him in peace.

_Taiki._


	2. Chapter 2

**Taiki's POV**

She closes the door, leaving me in here with the creatures that crawl around the room, begging me to join them. Anyone who I tell thinks I've lost it and even my mum said that she doesn't recognise me because of what I've become. It's heart breaking, but it's also true at the same time. After what happened to me I don't think I can ever return to my old self, not after that…time.

Every time I think of that moment I just want to tear myself to shreds and die, so that I never have to remember about it and look at people and pretend that I'm getting better when really all I want is someone to be with me and understand my pain. But what's the point in hoping for something that won't ever become a reality, when you know that the only place you can go is deeper into the hole that you're already stuck in.

I stare up at the moon and wonder to myself. _How are the others doing? Probably a lot better than me, hopefully. They all know that I'm crazy and can never be myself again so what's the point in helping me when there is only one place to go._

The creatures call to me again, making my mind go insane as always.

_God and his priests and his kings  
>All were waiting, all will wait as they go over<em>_  
>Held between heaven and hell<br>As there dancing, as they dance over and over...over_

That's how I describe them, little shadow puppets, dancing around my room, waiting for me to join them in there never ending world of coldness. Why can't they just leave me to rot in this room in peace?

_Why?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Tagiru's POV**

Its day eight and I still miss Taiki-san not being here with us. Akari went to see him last night and has told us about his condition. Apparently his wounds are healing but his mind is slowly shattering into a million pieces, his mind starting to turn insane. She spoke to his mum who told her about how he's hearing creatures trying to lure him somewhere and that he can see them around his hospital room which creeps me out more than anything.

My parents don't want me to visit him because of his condition but the more I hear about him the more I want to see him in person, so I've made myself a top secret mission. Tonight, I'll visit Taiki-san in the hospital and no one can stop me.

Today, school drags as ever but for some reason it drags even longer, like all the clocks are moving slower than usual. As soon as the bell goes I leave and head home to drop my bag off, and I leave a note for my parents so that when they come home from work they think that I'm out with Yuu again; gullible parents.

As I approach the hospital I see the sun setting over the horizon, the sky filled with different shades of orange and red; red use to be his favourite colour. I wonder if it still is.

I walk up the stairs to the empty corridor where Taiki's room is, on the right side, furthest one down. I walk down the corridor, only able to hear my footsteps walk along the floor. I reach the door that separates me from my friend and I reach for the handle before I hesitate. _What if something goes wrong? What if I say something that I shouldn't? What if I make him go insane? _

I close my eyes and open the door; when I open them I see the sunset lighting up the room dimly, colours of orange and red visible outside. I walk in and close the door behind me, looking at my friend who's looking through the window, mask in his hand.

I open my mouth to speak but I decide to approach him first, closing the space between us slightly. I stop about two feet from the bed and I look at Taiki-san's eyes. They're not like the warm, friendly eyes that I'm use to but instead they are cold and lonely. _Lonely._

"Taiki-san." I say quietly, catching his attention and he turns to look at me, a small smile forms on his face.

"Hi Tagiru." He says and I look at the cut on his cheek. _That must have hurt._

"I guessed that you would show up sooner or later." He says and I smile at him.

"I snuck out to come see you." I reply. "Apparently you aren't doing too well at the moment."

"I guess Akari filled you in on me." He replies unsurprised.

"Yeah, we're all worried for you and she is the only one who has seen you in person so far, out of us guys." I start to stumble for words and decide to stop while I still can.

"You shouldn't have come anyway. I mean, what is there to look at apart from an insane kid who no one can save." He says and I look at him with an apologetic look.

"It's because we care for you Taiki-san. We believe that you'll be okay in the end, no matter what happens." I reply but it only seems to make his smile look fake and forced.

"You're too late to help me then. They're slowly dragging me in now; there's no hope for me anymore." He looks away as he speaks and he sighs.

"I won't let them take you away." I reply determinedly and I reach out towards him.

"They're too strong, once they have a hold on you there's no chance to escape." He replies and I withdraw my hand from leaning out towards him.

"Who are they?" I ask and he looks straight at me.

"I suggest you leave before they consume you to." His reply confuses me slightly but I nod and start to leave, however I stop just before I reach the door and turn to face him.

"I'm going to save you Taiki-san, no matter what." I say and I leave the same way I came.

_I promise._


	4. Chapter 4

**Taiki's POV**

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><p>As Tagiru leaves I look back at the sunset, leaving to be replaced by the night. The orange starts to fade from my room but not red, it used to be my favourite colour until now. It makes me sick just to think about the past, and every time someone asks me what happened I always stay silent and ask them to leave. Whenever I ask someone to leave I feel like killing myself, but I can't go like that, can I?<p>

Maybe it would be for the better, instead of suffering by the hands of the shadow maybe I can go now and be in the care of others, others who don't taunt me or make shallow promises.

_Promises._

I would make promises to people and do everything that I can to keep them, but now I don't think I can keep a promise. The others want me to go back to them and stay alive with them but I don't think I can ever go back to them, not alive anyway.

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
>This pain is just too real<br>There's just too much that time cannot erase_

That's all I can think of when I think of staying alive, going back to the reality I once enjoyed. I wish it never happened to me, I wish he never had to do those things to me.

_Why? Why?!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Taiki's POV (FLASHBACK)**

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><p>I walk through what feels like the hundredth alley to get back home and all I can think of is the feeling of someone following me. A feeling that I haven't had in a long time, probably because I've always had my friends next to me, but now, after going to visit Tagiru's house with the others I feel like someone really is behind me. I want to turn around but I'm scared to see what's behind me, so I keep going and going, walking through the dark, empty alley ways that are surrounded by the shadows of the old buildings. No one lives in this part of town, not after the rumours that started to spread around about shadows stalking and killing their pray, humans.<p>

They feast on the strong and weak, but their victims are usually the ones that if dead would impact on the most lives. Even though I know the dangers that lurk around here, I still walk through here to get home.

I turn a corner and stop, the feeling of being followed weighing heavier on me.

"Who's there?" I ask with all the courage I can, but no reply. I breathe in and out before I turn around to be grabbed and pinned up against a wall, a hand covering my mouth.

"People like you shouldn't be walking around here at a time like this." I examine the shadow which reveals to be a boy around seventeen, dark hair and dark clothes. His eyes glow bright red, an unusual colour.

I try to wiggle my way out of his grip but I'm punched in the stomach and thrown to the ground. My stomach and side, throbbing with pain. He approaches me and picks me up by the collar of my shirt.

"Now you will pay the price." His voice sounds threatening and before long he knocks me down to the ground again and pulls out a knife, aiming it straight at me.

"Look, I mean no harm, honestly." I try to talk him out of it but he ignores me and kneels on top of me, pinning me to the floor.

He puts the cold blade to my face and makes a cut down my cheek, blood dripping down from it. The blade then moves to my left arm and he stabs me in the shoulder, a scream leaving my mouth. I close my eyes but the pain keeps coming and coming, he stabs me in the other arm, left leg, and other parts of my body, avoiding vital parts of my body like the heart and head.

I open my eyes slightly to see him put the knife away and for him to place his cold, bitter hand on my cheek, stroking it gently.

"It's a shame; you would have been a lovely boyfriend."

_Boyfriend? Is he crazy?!_

"I hope to see you soon, _Taiki Kudo_." With that, he leaves me on the floor, bleeding everywhere and tears running down my face. I try to get up but the pain makes me unable to move, all I can do is lay there and let myself be taken by the darkness that surrounds me, begging for me to join them.

_This is it, my time. I wish my friends were here, but I guess that it's better this way. _  
><em><br>_**12 hours later**

I wake up to see grey.

_Grey? _

I turn my head to see a table with medicine on it, when I turn my head the other way I see a window.

_Where am I?_

I hear something around me and I look to try and find what it is, only to find shadows lurking around the unknown room.

_Have they followed me? Am I even dead? _

I hear a door open and I turn my head to see someone who looks like a doctor enters the room.

"You're awake." He says and I look at him, scared and confused.

"W-where am I-I?" I stumble but the doctor understands what I ask and he replies.

"You're in the hospital." He replies and he grabs a piece of paper and looks at it. "Do you remember what happened?"

The memory of what happened flashes and I close my eyes, wanting it to go away.

"Don't worry; you don't need to tell me. At least it tells us that your brain is functioning properly." He says and I look out of the window and at the sun shining into the room.

"Can you see them?" I whisper and I look back at him, confusion on his face.

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"The shadows, they're everywhere." I reply and he writes something down before leaving. _Now they think I'm crazy. _

_Great._


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! This is the final chapter to the fic and I hope you've enjoyed it! Please review! Enjoy the final installment! ;)**

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><p><strong>Akari POV<strong>

It's been one week since I last visited Taiki and from what I heard the others say, he's been getting worse. I stand outside his hospital room again, silence roaming the corridor I stand in and I take a deep breath in before I reach out for the handle. As I turn it, a dreading feeling seeks through me, making me shiver. I shake my head and open the door to reveal a sight that I've never wanted to see.

_Taiki._

I take two steps in and I close the door behind me, staring at the weak, colourless best friend. I take a few steps towards him and stop as he turns to me with his cold eyes.

_Cold._

"Why are you here?" Those are the first words that come out from his mouth.

"I…"

"It's not safe here." He interrupts me with his slightly croaky voice, coughing as he finished his sentence.

"I don't care." I reply, a forced laugh escapes his lips.

"You of all people should be relaxing, living your life."

"I can't do that with you here suffering under these so-called shadows of yours!" I argue back at him. That's the last thing I want to here from him.

"Akari…" He says quietly, turning back towards the window. "You should leave."

"No." I reply and he turns back to me, his serious face looking at me.

"Akari It's not safe and-"

"And what, the shadows are going to take you away! It's a load of bullshit and-"

"I'm going to die." As soon as he spoke those four words, my whole world froze around me.

"No." I whisper, knowing that Taiki didn't hear me. I start to shake my head, tears forming in my eyes.

"You can't." I whimper and I start to approach him. "You just can't."

"I'm sorry bu…"

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><p><strong>Taiki's POV<strong>

"I'm sorry bu…" My sentence is cut off by the soft lips that make contact with mine. My eyes are wide open at first but soon enough, they closed and I embraced my first and last kiss. I lift my arm to touch the back of her head, stroking her hair softly while her hand warms the back of my neck. Our lips separate and I open my eyes to see Akari's eyes staring into mine, colourful and full of life.

"Akari." I whisper and a tear fills down from her eye and down her cheek, but before it falls off my finger catches it and wipes it from her face. The last thing I want is for her face to be stained with tears of sadness.

"You can't leave us." She says softly. "Not now."

"I've tried and I'm sorry." I reply and I see the shadows starting to creep closer to me, slowly but surely.

"Can't you try again? Please Taiki?" She begs me and more tears start to run down her face, staining her beauty with sadness and despair.

"Akari…" I whisper and I pull her into me, enclosing her in my arms. Her tears fall on my top and I stroke her hair, calming her down. My hand moves from her head to her cheek, caressing it like my did when I was little. My finger creates a circling motion on her face and she looks up at me slightly, all of her tears have fallen and left her eyes.

"How long do you have left?" Akari asks me and I look at the shadows closing in on me.

"Minutes probably." I reply and her hand touches my cheek, her thumb stroking my skin gently.

"Then I'll make those minutes the best few minutes of your life." She says and as our lips connect again, I feel something crawling up me from different parts of my body, heading for my heart and soul. As the shadows start to take me, our lips separate and I look deeply into Akari's eyes, something I haven't done since the accident.

"Taiki…" I hear her whisper my name and only three words come to mine.

"I love you…" With that, my eyes close and the shadows take me away, submerging me into eternal darkness.


End file.
